Note:
The site calls Chuao the “first Venezuelan Chocolatier based in the
United States,” but aside from this pricey bar I can't find a claim
that their cacao is sourced in the region of Chuao or in Venezuela
generally, so I won't be labeling the company single-origin.

Appearance:
Shiny, in a grey-yellow-brown
that's surprisingly a touch lighter than last week's Chuao
Firecracker, despite presumably being in the same base. Maybe the
chipotle darkened the other bar?

Smell:
Hm, subtle, which again
surprises me compared to last week's—but my co-taster says he
thinks this one smells stronger. Subjective senses!

Taste:
So I had to step back from
sugar over the last few weeks, which explains why this 60% cacao base
tastes very sweet to me. That aside, it's quite nice. The chocolate
is mild but with a light, bitter aftertaste, reminiscent of the
lingering taste of a cup of coffee; my co-taster similarly reflected
“you can really taste the toastiness—browned, I guess a little
carbonized.” The breadcrumbs offer a pleasant, crispy crunch,
varied and never mushy. The well-incorporated salt rounds out the
flavor, which I think of as achieving balance but my co-taster
expanded, commenting on the way the toasty/bitter flavors, salt, and
sweet all pull in different directions, offering a broader
experience.

Conclusion:
Chuao Chocolatier Salted
Chocolate Crunch is both complex and well balanced, in terms of both
flavor and texture.

Corporate
Info:According to its stylish
website, Chuao Chocolatier is a San Diego-based company founded by
two brothers from Venezuela, who named the company after a region of
their homeland. Chuao's whole deal is interesting chocolate
combinations, in bars like maple bacon and potato chip (see the
production here), and in confections like smoky macadamia and goat
cheese & pear. You can buy Chuao's products at its well-regarded
retail locations in Southern California, at other select stores, or
at large chains like Whole Foods and Target.

Note:
The site calls Chuao the “first Venezuelan Chocolatier based in the
United States,” but aside from this pricey bar I can't find a claim
that their cacao is sourced in the region of Chuao or in Venezuela
generally, so I won't be labeling the company single-origin.

Appearance:
Shiny, not especially
red/orange/yellow medium brown, in an interesting mold (as you can
see above). The back surface is pebbled with the candy pieces and
possibly also the salt.

Smell:
I
mostly get a fresh/raw, sour, bitter (in a beany way, not acrid)
chocolate smell, with perhaps a touch of smokiness from the chipotle
but nothing obvious.

Taste:
Ooh, that's fun. The chocolate is decent quality, with the beany,
fresh flavor I got from the aroma. Depending on what hits your tongue
first, you either get saltiness or the popping candies, which have
little flavor but add a Nestle Crunch sort of crispiness that morphs
into the crackle of Pop Rocks that fill your mouth as you chew but
never threaten to explode—this isn't candy you'd have to eat on a
dare. Chipotle is slow to arrive after the sweet-salty chocolate,
mostly resulting in a slow but prominent burn in the back of the
throat; a co-taster says he also feels the heat on the back of his
tongue. I think I find the 60% cacao a tad too sweet for my taste,
though that's after having eaten a good quarter of the bar.

Conclusion:
Chuao Chocolatier Firecracker is likably crackly, smoky-burny, and
sweet, a novel if not necessary combination.

Corporate
Info:
(Altered from 5/5/11) Massachusetts co-op Equal Exchange is serious
about fair trade, organic growing methods, relationships with
farmers, and everything that goes along with it. I'm actually
overwhelmed by the extensive website, but suffice to say that the
reason behind the company's founding was to do good via products that
now encompass your usual array of tasty and potentially problematic
foods from the tropics (chocolate, coffee, tea, bananas, etc) and a
few other locations (almonds, olive oil). At this point they're
well-established and respected (the Better World Shopping Guide gives
them an A+), so if you care about “Corporate Info” enough to read
this paragraph, this is the sort of company you'll love.

This
Bar:
Equal Exchange produces a bunch of different single-origin and
flavored bars, of which I've only reviewed the orange in 65% cacao.
Today's contains some sort of crunchy mint candy, and for whatever
reason they've used 67% cacao here.

Smell:
Not
like mint exactly, but light and refreshing. Otherwise, nutty and
sweet, not especially chocolatey.

Taste:
Actually, that's really nice. The chocolate is crunchy melting to
waxy, mild, and sweet, with just a little sour, and the little mint
crunches are super tiny, adding fresh, sweet texture rather than
tasting like separate candies. This isn't your super high quality
stuff, but it's easy to eat and you'll be supporting a great company.

Corporate
Info: Pop Quiz. Q: What's weird
about All My Sins? A: The brand doesn't have a website, or any other
identity as far as I can see. According to the package it's
distributed by John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., which according to
this site filed a for trademark on the name (All My Sins With None of
the Guilt) earlier this year. JBSS was founded in Illinois in 1922
and sources nuts commercially, for store generics, and as the brand
Fisher. I found the All My Sins product at Whole Foods.

Today's
Confection: This is All My
Sins' dark chocolate item, which is why it's the one I bought!

Appearance:
Shiny (that'd be the
confectioner's glaze) and dark.

Smell:
An appealing mix of chocolate
and heady roasted espresso, with a light burst of mint.

Taste:
Quite nice, if more or less what you'd expect. The chocolate coating
isn't too thin or thick, and it holds up with its rich texture and
dark but mild flavor to the crunchy, roasty coffee beans. The mint is
kind of an afterthought, but I have to admit it adds a layer of
refreshment to the dark and somewhat bitter (just because it's
coffee) confection. I can't wax poetic about these—they don't have
the gourmet texture or complexity of, say, Pacari's chocolate covered cacao beans—but there's nothing “off” in the balance of
flavors, the thickness of the coating, or the beans.

Conclusion:
All My Sins Peppermint Mischief
70% Cacao Dark Chocolate Peppermint Coffee Beans are a satisfying
snack for those who like their candy caffeinated or coffee with their
chocolate.

Welcome to Dark Chocolate Diary! I'm Molly D, and I review dark chocolate bars and confections. I like small companies, fair trade, and organics. I like bars that aren't too sweet and flavorings I can really taste. I like to use the word "balance." And I'll try anything once.